


Second Best Revenge

by Lavanya_Six



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-14
Updated: 2011-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-14 18:30:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/152193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavanya_Six/pseuds/Lavanya_Six
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"Once upon a time," says the mother, "in a faraway kingdom, there was a foolish Prince and a clever Princess. The Prince was a cowardly boy who cared only for himself, while his younger sister thought only of her people. For you see, their kingdom had been at war for generations." </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Best Revenge

On the eastern boundary of the Si Wong Desert, where the outermost stretched tendrils of civilization wither on sun-baked dry grasslands, there is an ordinary ranch. After dusk, lantern light can be seen from one bedroom. Inside, a young woman with prematurely graying hair sits at the bedside of a little girl.

"Once upon a time," says the mother, "in a faraway kingdom, there was a foolish Prince and a clever Princess. The Prince was a cowardly boy who cared only for himself, while his younger sister thought only of her people. For you see, their kingdom had been at war for generations. The Prince wasn't willing to fight for his people, so the wise King striped him of his crown and exiled him.

"With her brother gone, the Princess worked hard to become the perfect Queen her people needed. With her loyal and steadfast friends at her side, the Princess managed to single-handedly end the war and bring peace to the land. She had her happy ending.

"Alas, it was not to last.

"The foolish Prince, jealous of his sister, found a dark Wizard who used his evil magic to slay the King and brainwash the Princess's friends. They imprisoned the Princess in a fortress of ice, and stole the warmth from her blood so that she was no more than ice herself."

The little girl gasps.

"In exchange for stealing the Prince his father's crown, the Wizard was made the King of Kings. Everyone in the whole world had to bow to the Wizard _or die._

"But not everyone would bow. Some stood against the Wizard and his toy Puppet King. They rescued the Princess and begged her to save them. The clever Princess, mindful of the lump of ice in her chest where her heart once did beat, told her countrymen that no army, however strong and brave, could stand against the cruel Wizard's power. If they wanted to win, they would need to wait."

"Why, Mama?"

"Because the people of the world wouldn't be fooled by the Wizard and his Puppet King forever. No magic spell was powerful enough to heal the scars on their bodies, or fill the empty chairs at their dinner tables. Everyone had fought for too long to just stop and forgive each other simply because the Wizard said they should.

"The people struck out in ones and twos at their false rulers for saying their heartbreak was meaningless. While the Wizard and his toy Puppet King had to be lucky every time, the heroes only needed to be lucky once. Soon neither tyrant could sleep for fear of the people who might be lurking in the night. The Princess, still free, still patiently waiting, lived happily ever after to sleep as she pleased.

"The moral of this story is that while success is the best revenge, peace of mind comes a close second." Brushing her daughter's bangs aside, the mother gently kisses her forehead. "Goodnight, my little princess."


End file.
